1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to furniture, and more specifically to a novel loveseat design which is rapidly and reversibly convertible from a love seat to baby crib.
2. Description of Related Art
Numerous articles of furniture have been devised for multifunctional use. Some of the most significant advances in the art have centered around convertible and modular furniture. However, none of the references herein described presents a piece of furniture which can be converted to either a loveseat or a baby crib through the use of a vertically extensible, one-piece frame and a removable, adjustable safety side rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,715,551, issued on Feb. 10, 1998 to Lou Proano et al., describes an article of furniture which may be configured in the form of a crib, a youth bed, or an adult bed, wherein the crib structure is produced through the employment of a rear panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, a front panel, and a first mattress support frame. The front panel comprises a stabilizer bar and a gate. The gate is movable to permit greater access to the confines of the crib. The crib is convertible to a youth bed by rearranging and/or eliminating components forming the gate and stabilizer bar. The gate or stabilizer bar may also be arranged to form a roll bar to prevent a slumbering toddler from rolling off the edge of the mattress.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,569, issued on Dec. 23, 1997 to Sabine Schwarz-Zohrer, describes a combined bed and seat device for an infant comprising a base for supporting an infant, a first inflatable cushion secured to and surrounding the base, a second inflatable cushion having a forward section secured to the first inflatable cushion, and an inflatable bellows-type wall member disposed between the first and second cushions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,631, issued on Sep. 15, 1992 to Harry Deal, describes a convertible assembly for providing a crib, a toddler bed, or a twin bed arrangement, and alternatively, a pair of twin or bunk beds. A pair of headboard and footboard assemblies each have separable upper and lower sections mounted together though coupling hardware to provide a crib assembly having one stationary crib side rail and one drop side rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,974, issued on Dec. 29, 1992 to Lou Proano et al., describes an article of furniture which is convertible to a crib, a youth bed or an adult bed. The crib is produced through the interconnection of a rear panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, a front panel, and a mattress support frame. This interconnection of parts provides a substantially rectangular configuration having the mattress support frame horizontally disposed therein. The front panel is comprised of at least a lower section and an upper gate section. The upper access gate section permits greater access to the confines of the crib. The crib may be converted to a youth bed through the removal of the upper gate section and the downward vertical displacement of the mattress support frame. The lower section functions as a roll bar to prevent a toddler from rolling off the edge of a mattress. The roll bar may be eliminated by inverting the lower section. The youth bed is convertible to an adult bed by replacing the mattress support frame and the right and left side panels with independent right and left front upright members. The right and left front upright members are, respectively, attachable to right and left edges of the lower section, and the right and left bed rails. The rear panel defines a headboard, and the lower section defines a foot board of the adult bed. An optional extension is attachable to the headboard to provide a headboard which is more aesthetically appealing to its user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,785, issued on Jun. 25, 1996 to Tami L. Petrus, describes a confining device couch converter for converting a seat cushion into a confining device for a resting baby. The confining device includes a flat sheet portion for covering a portion of the seat cushion where the baby rests. A wedge positioned along a perimeter of the sheet portion also provides a barrier so that the baby does not fall onto the floor. An attaching portion connects the sheet portion to the seat cushion so that the confining device is secured to the seat cushion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,941, issued Feb. 25, 1997 to Edward Roman, describes a portable crib for a sofa, including a front section comprising an inner gate and an outer gate. The inner gate is slidably received within the outer gate. The apparatus includes a pair of side sections, each comprised of an inner gate and an outer gate; and these inner gates are also slidably received within the outer gate. A sofa securement mechanism is hingedly coupled with the inner gate and outer gates of the front section
U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,436, issued on Mar. 14, 1989 to Leo Schwartz, describes a child crib with a displaceable and storable slide gate comprising a head and foot frame. A mattress is supported between the frames, wherein each of which has opposed vertical side edge members. A gate is secured to one side of the mattress between a vertical side edge member of the head and foot frame, and extends above the mattress. Each of the other commonly shared vertical side edge members have a first guide channel extending for a predetermined length thereof, and communicating at a lower end with a second guide channel section extending under the mattress. The gate also has guide members for engaging with the guide channels so that it is displaceable from a position of use to a position of storage beneath the mattress.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,919, issued on Dec. 7, 1982 to James R. Hull, describes a convertible child""s bed which may be sold in the form of a crib for use by a child when it is very young, and which may subsequently be converted into a standard twin bed as the child becomes older.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,369,552, issued on Feb. 13, 1945 to Herbert E. Ferran, describes an enclosure for use upon the seat of an automobile having a seat member disposed at substantially right angles to a back member. The enclosure includes a substantially rigid front wall and a pair of spaced, substantially rigid end walls, connected to the front wall and extending in the same direction therefrom. The end walls are provided with extensions adapted to be inserted between the seat and back members at the junction thereof, to secure the enclosure upon the seat member, and to prevent its shifting relative to the back member in a direction away from the latter.
U.S. Pat. No. 743,495 issued on Nov. 10, 1903 to Timothy Hanley, describes a combined crib, sofa, and lounge comprising end support legs, end frames hinged to the legs, a rear side frame, and a bottom frame revolvably pivoted at each end to the end frames. Latches are secured to two of the legs, which are adapted to support one side of the bottom frame. Springs for holding the latches in engagement with the bottom frame are also provided.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 316,339, issued on Apr. 23, 1991 to Gwen S. Taylor, describes a portable collapsible crib.
British Patent Application No. 1 344 438, published on Jan. 23, 1974, describes an inflatable carry cot.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention relates to an article of furniture which is readily convertible from a loveseat to a baby crib and back again to a loveseat. The loveseat/baby crib furniture is designed to optimize space within the home of the user, and allowing the baby crib to become a permanent part of the home. The present invention solves a longfelt need by providing a multi-use article of furniture which can be employed in any domestic setting, including hotels, where loveseats are ideal because of their shape and size and the problem of substandard or insufficient furnishings for infants and small children is all too common.
A first embodiment of the loveseat/baby crib furniture includes a mattress supporting assembly and a frame assembly. The frame assembly is designed to be manually vertically extendable or movable with respect to the mattress supporting assembly. The frame assembly comprises a pair of side panels, both of which are upright, planar, and mutually parallel. A permanent side rail is disposed between the panels at their rear ends and coupling means for an adjustable side rail are provided at the front ends of the panels. The generally box-shaped mattress supporting assembly comprises front, back, and two sidewalls. The front wall of the mattress supporting assembly has a generally rectangular-shaped opening for receiving a drawer for storing the baby crib mattress. The superior surface of the front panel of the drawer has a groove for receiving and locking into place the adjustable side rail after being slidably inserted into the coupling means on the side panels. A second embodiment provides for storage of the adjustable side rail by attachment to the rear side rail when the furniture is being used as a loveseat.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a new article of furniture which is readily convertible to either a loveseat or a baby crib through the use of a frame which is attached to a mattress support in a first position for use as a loveseat, and raised to a second position on the mattress support for use as a baby crib, together with a removable, height adjustable, safety side rail.
It is another object of the invention to provide a loveseat/baby crib furniture which is designed to optimize space within the home of the user, allowing the baby crib to become a permanent part of the home, sine it retains utility as a loveseat when its use as a baby crib is no longer required.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a multi-use article of furniture which can be employed in any domestic setting, including hotels.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.